The Storm Witch
by Philyra
Summary: AU. Air Master Emma Swan has always worked alone, but can she trust Water Master Killian Jones to help her save her mother?


"Is there any word on Mother, Tansy?" Emma asked, handing over her finished breakfast tray.

The brownie blinked up at her with wide, dark eyes. "Still cleansing dark spots in Northumberland, Miss Swan. We had word she was moving to a new site last night."

She nodded, expecting nothing less. Her mother would draw out the last of her cleansings as long as possible, because no matter how much Mary Margaret missed her husband and daughter, she absolutely hated having to retire to London for the winter. It was what happened when you were the strongest Earth Master in the British Isles – cities like London with all their pollution, disease, and corruption were almost impossible to bear. Luckily, Christmas and the New Year were always spent at the Nolan country estates rather than the city itself, granting her some reprieve.

"Good. Please do tell her to take care, and to pass along the message to Aunt Ruby and Uncle Graham." Mother always had the same two companions on her trips: Ruby Lucas, a werewolf, and her husband, Graham Humbert, a minor Earth mage. One of Emma's earliest memories was waking up with Aunt Ruby's lupine form curled around her.

"Of course, Miss Swan." Tansy curtsied and bustled back out with the tray.

Emma turned her attention to the fire, and the salamander dancing within the flames. "Do you have a message from Father?" she asked politely.

It twitched its tail and flicked its ruff, provoking a small shower of sparks that luckily remained within the fireplace. "Your father misses you and Henry. He asks when you will leave that 'cold, rainy pit' and return to London."

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "He asks that every year, and the answer is always the same. In a month's time. Tell him that if he wishes to keep his sanity, he must refrain from trying to do everything himself and keep delegating. Preferably to Lancelot. But do tell him we miss him as well."

The salamander didn't even bother with a reply, simply swishing around and disappearing in a brief bout of flame.

It had to be difficult, being one of the Britain's strongest Fire Masters and the co-leader of the White Lodge, Emma mused. Her father's duties usually kept him in London and thus separate from his often-traveling wife and daughter. David excelled in city politics and thus was good at wrangling all the practitioner within the city, whilst Mary Margaret checked on the practitioners elsewhere.

Emma, on the other hand, went wherever the Lodge deemed it necessary. As an Air Master in her own right, she excelled at sniffing out little mysteries. After all, women were often overlooked and rarely questioned within most social contexts. And while she didn't have the deceptive skills of say, a Water Master, her loyal group of Air Elementals served as excellent assistants. She rather thought she could give Sir Doyle's Sherlock Holmes a run for his money.

But when she was not running investigations for the Lodge or staying in London with her parents she was here, at her castle high on the sea cliffs of northwest Wales. Here was a place that was purely her own, where she could watch the storms and converse with the greater Elementals of Air. She was always happy to see them and they her, attracted by the strength of her gift and the way she braided magic in her hair.

Or rather, the way the sylphs and lesser Air Elementals did so, dancing about her hair and depositing her magic and their own within the strands as they did so. It was the first inkling her parents received about her magical affinity, when they found sylphs dancing about her crib when she was naught but a few hours old.

The sylphs had taught Henry too, and now her son often joined them in braiding her hair.

Emma stood and walked to the window, watching where Henry played below on the rocky beach. Henry needed no nursemaid, not when he had a strong Air gift of his own, with a minor affinity for Water. He had both sylphs and undines playing around him and between those two, there was no better nursemaid to be found – unless he was in the castle, and then Tansy took care of him.

Emma had married young, to an equally young Army lieutenant named Neal Gold, who'd gone off to India shortly after their marriage to win his fortune. Neal had died in India, leaving Emma widowed and pregnant.

If Neal was her sorrow, Henry was her joy. When she received news of Neal's death she grieved and shunned her magic, thinking that she could have saved him if only she'd been there. Her parents had done everything they could, but only the knowledge of the life growing inside her, brimming with Air and Water, had pulled her back.

When Emma was off working, Henry stayed with his grandfather in London and was taught by the best Masters in the city. But he was happiest here in Wales, where it was just the two of them and the Elementals.

Speaking of Elementals – Emma frowned, spotting a flash of blue magic far out to sea, but moving faster towards shore than anything manmade. Mermaids, she realized. And they were dragging someone along.

Henry was already wading in the water up to his knees. "Mother!" he called, his high voice carrying up to the castle tower. "Come quickly!"

"Be careful, Henry, I'm coming!" she shouted out the window. She sped for the door, sending up silent thanks that in this remote region, she had no need for the cumbersome corsets and skirts required in polite society. No, out here she could wear sturdy breeches and shirts every single day, if she so chose.

The sea cliff stairs were narrow and often wet from the sea spray, but she was light-footed and knew every step by heart, so it was easy to run down them and onto the beach, where the mermaids were pulling the body of a man to Henry. "You were the closest of his kind, so we brought him to you," one of them said, either to Henry or Emma or both. Her hair was the deep crystal blue of warmer ocean waters, and braided through with clamshells.

It is only then that Emma noticed the sheer number of undines and other lesser Water Elementals in the water, all watching with distraught expressions. The man must have been a Water Master, to have so many around him. "Please help him!" the other mermaid begged, this one with hair more like spiky sea coral, catching Emma's eye. "He is a good man!"

"What happened?"

The other mermaid bared her long, pointed teeth, but not at Emma. She sensed it was more to do with the situation at hand than any indifference Water Elementals might have had for her as a Master of a different element. "His rival stole his ship. His crew was forced to comply and he was thrown overboard."

"Ship?" Emma frowned. His clothing consisted of practical leathers and linens, but not belonging to the Royal Navy, nor the thick jumpers and trousers of a fisherman or whaler. That left several other possibilities – including pirate. She'd never heard of a good pirate, but none of the Elementals around her appeared coerced. Indeed, if the mermaids had been coerced they would have taken advantage of his indisposition and drowned him. They certainly weren't subtle in their actions.

"He will explain when he wakes, only please help!" the one with coral hair repeated.

"Mother, please," Henry said quietly, looking at him with dark eyes – his father's eyes. "Look, he's bleeding. And he probably hit his head."

The unknown man was indeed bleeding sluggishly from several wounds, but he was breathing fine, thanks to the mermaids' intervention. Emma sighed and unbraided the bottom inch of her hair because there was no way she could get him up the sea stairs herself. "All right, we'll bring him to the still room. Henry, go ahead and tell Tansy." Henry nodded, and bid goodbye to his playmates as well as the strange man's Elementals, before sprinting for the stairs.

"We will not forget your kindness," the mermaids told her, then disappeared into the water.

Meanwhile, the sylphs, buoyed by Emma's power, lifted the man into the air and floated him up towards the castle. "The still room, please," she reminded them, before following via the stairs. By the time she arrived, Tansy had already given him a quick sponge bath and was pulling a blanket over him to preserve his modesty. "Do you think he has a concussion, Tansy?" Emma asked, heading for the salves and poultices. Healing might be the providence of an Earth Master, but she'd learned much from her mother and Uncle Graham.

The brownie was already frowning over the lump on his head. "No concussion, Miss Swan, but he does have an almighty lump that will pain him some when he wakes. The saltwater has been good for his wounds, but some of them are quite deep." Emma nodded and returned, bottles in hand.

"Henry, please get the bandages," she directed.

"He has a hook for his other hand, Mother," he observed, handing off the bandages and helping Tansy with the bigger wounds.

Emma glanced at his other hand and oh. This really didn't help with the pirate hypothesis. "The mermaids said he was a good man, what do you think?" she asked the other Elementals in the room.

Tansy shrugged. "He does not have the feeling of a bad Master about him." The sylphs concurred.

"My undines said he's a good captain," Henry told her earnestly. "They say his ship is always a good ship to travel with."

Well. That was three sets of Elementals vouching for him. Emma supposed it would have to do until the man woke and could tell his own tale. She had to admit that he was handsome, raven-black hair swept back from a high forehead, strong bones, and lean, defined muscles.

He was also a stranger and an unknown quantity. Emma rolled her eyes at herself. "Well, I suppose there's nothing left to do but wait for our patient to awaken. Henry, why don't you go and retrieve your books and we'll go over today's lesson." She knew her son wouldn't want to leave the stranger's side and she was not going to leave them alone. Henry's eyes lit up and he took off, his footsteps echoing on the floorboards. She watched him go with a slight smile. Henry adored his magic studies and was a much better book learner than she was.

"I will go and prepare luncheon," Tansy said, hauling out the stranger's sodden clothes.

Emma turned to one of her ever-present sylphs. "Luna, please do send a message to my father about what has happened, and show him this man's face." She unbraided another small portion of her hair, letting out a swirl of pure Air magic that the sylph took eagerly. "And please try not to get distracted along the way." Sylphs were notoriously, well, air-headed, but Luna had been one of Emma's constant companions for as long as she could remember and was fairly reliable so long as she had some of Emma's power to buoy her.

Luna giggled. "With pleasure, Emma." She unfolded her wings and zoomed out the window.

* * *

"Why is it so important to ask Elementals for their help rather than coerce them?" Emma asked.

Henry's brow furrowed as he thought it over and she smiled, suppressing the urge to poke him right where the skin wrinkled. "Because Elementals respond better to kindness. An Elemental who acts out of friendship and their own free will is a…companion. A friend. It is always better to have friends, rather than an Elemental you've forced to do your bidding."

"Am I amongst friends, I wonder?" a voice rasped. Emma and Henry whipped around to find the stranger was awake, propped up on one elbow and staring at them with wary, curious eyes.

Curious _blue_ eyes, as blue as the Air magic Emma spun from her hair every single day.

"You're awake!" Henry chirped, turning around and giving the man his full attention. Emma allowed him to question the stranger so that she could sit back and observe. You could learn much about a person from the way they interacted with children. "Are you all right, sir?"

"Better than expected," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck with his good hand. "I expected to wash up on a beach somewhere."

Henry shook his head. "No, your mermaids brought you here to us."

"And where exactly is 'here,' lad?" Emma had to give him credit; his eyes never strayed from Henry, giving him his full attention. His accent was generic and could have come anywhere from central England. His speech itself spoke of some education, but that wasn't terribly helpful, either.

Henry glanced at Emma at the question, and she nodded slightly. "Castle Swan, close to Morfa Nefyn."

The man's brow smoothed over and he looked at Emma for the first time. It was the kind of look that reached straight down and scraped the soul raw. She was used to turning it on other people, rather than being the recipient. It was unnerving. "Ah. The Storm Witch's castle, I should have guessed," he mused, his eyes sparkling. "Are you the Storm Witch, then, lass?"

"The Storm Witch?" Henry exclaimed, delighted, while Emma blinked, nonplussed.

"Aye, 'tis a name us seafaring Masters have named the castle. For the Elemental storms that alight here, but never ravage the locals. They are your doing, are they not?"

She bit back the annoyance. "The storms are hardly my doing." Calling up a storm with one of the greater Air Elementals at its center was suicide – unless it was a matter of life and death, and still, even a strong Master's chances were split down the middle. "The Elementals are simply attracted here. They are my friends." Emma never took chances with innocent lives when the storms came. After all, she was sworn to protect, not to destroy.

He nodded slightly, accepting the explanation. "Well, if you are not the Storm Witch, then who are you?"

"Emma Swan." She wouldn't give her full name and title, not when she didn't know or trust him. "And my son, Henry."

"Captain Killian Jones, at your service. I would bow, but I'm rather indisposed."

Henry tilted his head, considering the man and especially his hook. "Captain Jones, are you a pirate?"

Killian was quiet for a moment, and Emma was surprised to watch actual sorrow move over his face before it was shoved away. "I was, once. But I'm now a privateer for Her Majesty. The _Jolly Roger._ Feel free to confirm it."

"No need," Emma said gruffly, surprised by the admission. "I've heard of you, Captain Jones." As her parents' agent, she has made it her mission to know the magicians and Masters amongst Britain's armed forces. There were very, very few captains amongst the Royal Navy and the privateers who were Masters, let alone of a ship with such a distinctive name. She had a sinking feeling that once she received a reply from her father, she would almost certainly be obliged to help the man.

"Oh?" Now he looked intrigued. "And how does the Storm Witch know of me?"

Emma was composing a suitably vague response when Tansy appeared in the doorway with luncheon for three. "Good, you are awake," she said briskly, setting the tray down on the table. "I've found some clothes to suit you while yours are being laundered and mended. Let's get you changed so you can eat."

Luna returned whilst they were eating luncheon – ham sandwiches with roasted vegetables from the last of the harvest, and good, cold lemonade. She perched in the rafters, peering down at Killian curiously. Emma opened her mouth to ask if she had indeed forgotten her errand, when the same salamander from the morning appeared in the grate.

"Your guest is Captain Killian Jones," it whispered. "Your father is aware of the capture of his ship, and asks that you would help him in its recovery."

"I rather thought he would," Emma said, resigned. "Very well, tell him I accept." The salamander did a little dance and disappeared. She took a healthy swig of lemonade, wishing it was something stronger, and glanced over at the captain, who was now staring at her with rising suspicion. "So, who has your ship and do you know where it is?"

"I suspect you're more than a simple storm witch, though there's nothing simple about that, either." He popped a piece of carrot into his mouth and chewed carefully. "You are clearly an Air Master, and your son has affinities with Air and Water, yet you've a brownie and salamanders in attendance. So, who are you, Swan?"

Henry sat up straight, clearly indignant at the impropriety of the address. "My mother is Lady Emma Nolan, daughter of His Grace David Nolan and Her Grace Mary Margaret Nolan of Misthaven, and you will show some respect!"

Emma bit back a smile, one that intensified as Killian bent at the waist in the boy's direction. "My apologies, lad, I meant no disrespect. I'm a simple man, you see, and we have little use for titles on my ship beyond that of 'captain.'"

Henry looked at him solemnly, then nodded, accepting the apology for what it was. He was fiercely protective of her, but good-hearted and very much inclined to believe the best in people. "Your apology is accepted.

"This certainly explains a few things," Killian continued, turning his attention back to Emma. "You're the daughter of the Lodge Masters."

"And their chief agent," she agreed, polishing off the last of her sandwich. "So, would you like my help or not?"

"It would be the height of stupidity not to." He smiled then, and Emma was uncomfortably aware of the sudden interest that sparked in her belly. Captain Killian Jones was indeed a very handsome man. "And I endeavor not to be stupid."

* * *

Emma was just tying up the last of Blackbeard's crew when Killian jumped on board, courtesy of a spray of water. He held another man by the collar and easily dumped him on the deck, landing lightly on his feet. Though his opponent – Blackbeard, Emma presumed – looked considerably defeated, Emma still tossed a length of rope his way.

He glanced over at her handiwork and grinned as he tied the other captain up. "Well done, Swan."

She pushed a strand of hair out of her face and allowed her hand to rest lightly on the hilt of her sword. "Did you doubt me?"

"You, Swan? Hardly," he laughed. "Your reputation precedes you. No, I was simply surprised. I do believe we make quite the team."

Killian's mermaid allies had quickly tracked and led Killian and Emma to the _Jolly Roger_ and Blackbeard's _Queen Anne's Revenge._ When it became clear Killian's crew was imprisoned aboard the _Revenge_ , Emma and Killian quickly boarded the _Jolly Roger_ under the cover of magically created fog and quickly disarmed the small night crew. From there, Emma had directed Killian to engage Blackbeard himself so that she could take care of the rest of his men.

Killian hadn't even protested, had merely asked, "Are you sure, Swan?"

" _Go_ ," she'd said, exasperated. She had dealt with worse than pirate crews. "Deal with the captain and I will handle the crew. And don't make me rescue you. _Again_." He chuckled, saluted her with his hook, and ran off, leaving her to make preparations. Normally, facing this many opponents would have meant severe energy expenditure for Emma, but because she had time on her side, she did not have to.

Twenty minutes later, the sound of Killian and Blackbeard fighting on the water drew out his crew. A few well-laid traps, some misdirection and confusion from her sylphs, and Emma's own hand-to-hand fighting skills laid out the men in short order.

Emma was impressed with the entire operation. She mostly worked alone, as was the nature of her position. Killian had indeed proved to be a capable partner. "Perhaps," she acknowledged, tilting her head with a slight smirk. Best to not encourage the man. She had a feeling he was the type of man who, if given an inch, would take a mile. "Shall we deliver Blackbeard and his crew to Her Majesty's justice?" She did not relish the voyage to Liverpool because she was loath to leave Henry, but the very nature of her job demanded that she be there to see it through to the end.

Killian opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by the blare of a horn and the dissolution of Emma's fog magic. He chuckled and strode to the port side. "Somehow I don't believe it's necessary, Swan. Is this your father's doing?"

Emma frowned and followed. The only way her father could have sent help was to alert one of one of the Masters within the Royal Navy. She squinted, trying to make out the name on the side of the ship. "The _Jewel of the Realm_?" she exclaimed. "But that cannot be! They should be-"

"Aye," Killian agreed, mostly resigned at this point, and muttered something that sounded like, "Damn fool better not have summoned the bloody Leviathan," under his breath.

Meanwhile, Emma's mind was still caught on the fact her father had called upon the flagship of the Royal Navy to come to their aid. "But that's Admiral Jones'-"

And suddenly she knew why there was a sense of familiarity around Killian. She had met Admiral Liam Jones on many social occasions in London – occasions where he would speak of his "incorrigible" younger brother and remark upon how well Emma would get along with him.

Apparently the universe had a sense of humor about these things.

"Best man in the world, my brother," Killian commented as a small waterspout moved towards them. "Always determined to save my arse."

"That's because your miserable arse always needs saving, begging milady's pardon," Admiral Liam Jones said, alighting upon the deck of the _Jolly Roger_ from the waterspout. "But I see things are well in hand, no doubt thanks to Lady Swan."

"Naturally," Emma replied with a smirk. The admiral was not one of those who expected females to be demure and retiring, which was why she always enjoyed his company at parties where the other attendees were not so enlightened.

Killian was looking between them with a look of dawning comprehension and, interestingly enough, a hint of embarrassment.

But all of that was swept away when a sylph exploded into existence beside Emma. "Emma!" she cried, her lavender-colored hair flying in some unseen wind. "Henry needs you to come back right away! Something has happened to your mother!" She hovered, wringing her hands in distress.

Emma felt her heart stop. No, that wasn't possible. Her mother was one of the leaders of the White Lodge for a reason. And it was not like she was alone, not with Aunt Ruby and Uncle Graham at her side. If something had happened to her…her father could not leave London, not on such short notice.

Admiral Jones quickly took command. "Go," he told Killian and Emma. "Lend whatever assistance you can to Lady Swan, Killian, even if it is simply to convey her home. We will take care of Blackbeard and the _Revenge."_

"No," she began, thinking of the ways she could get from her castle to Northumberland. She could ask one of the great Air Elementals, but she had no idea what one would ask of her in return for such a favor. What if she was expected to fight once she found her mother? She also had to take into account how the weather patterns would change if she did such a thing. The price was simply too great, but she had to get there somehow…

Warm hands closed around hers and she started, look up into Killian's eyes. "Swan," he said gently. "I owe you a great deal for helping me get my ship back. Allow me to repay the favor. No one can get you there faster than I can, that I promise you."

All around them, the _Jolly Roger_ was coming back to life as Killian's crew helped the sailors transfer Blackbeard's crew back to the _Revenge._

It seemed like a terrible idea. She had only just met the man, and there was significant difference between helping him retrieve his ship and allowing him to help save her mother. She had no idea if she could trust him. There was a reason why she mostly worked alone.

Whatever she was thinking must have been reflected on her face because Killian sighed and took a small step closer, still holding her hands in his. "Have a little faith, Swan. This might not be what you are used to, but my offer is genuine."

There was no time left. Emma had to pray that she was making the right decision. It also would not hurt, she thought, to have a Water Master at her back. "All right, Captain Jones, I accept your offer. But first, we must find out what happened to my mother."

* * *

"I'm coming with you," Henry announced the moment they returned to Castle Swan. He'd clearly been thinking about it for some time now, sitting at the bedside of the injured faun that had brought news of Mary Margaret.

"Henry," Emma began, already shaking her head. "The best possible place for you to go is with your grandfather in London while I sort all of this out-"

"But she's my _grandmother_ ," he burst out, standing up.

"And I cannot risk you in a situation where something that could have injured her could go after you," she responded, sinking to her knees in front of him, hoping that he would understand. But Henry was her son, through and through, and the stubborn set of his chin told her there was a fight ahead of them.

Killian cleared his throat from the doorway. Emma swung around to glare at him but he simply ignored her. "Might I make a suggestion? If the lad does come with us, he can simply stay aboard with my crew aboard the _Jolly Roger_ whilst we attempt our daring rescue. They're good men, they'll take care of him. Afterwards, we can sail all of you down to London."

Henry turned to her with wide, pleading eyes. "Please Mother, let me come!" he begged. "I promise I'll stay on the ship!"

She took a deep breath and looked at the floor to keep both her worry and her temper in check. She could have throttled Killian, honestly. Henry was only ten years old, and there was a reason why she never took him with her on her various jobs. It didn't matter that she hadn't been that much older when she started helping her parents, but it had been difficult to keep her away from their magical business. Perhaps history was simply repeating itself. "Do you promise to stay on board the ship and that you will not come after us?" she asked seriously. "I cannot worry about you and Mother at the same time."

He took one of their joined hands and held it over his heart – their way of sealing promises. "I promise, Mother. I just want to be there with you. I want to be there for Grandmother and Aunt Ruby and Uncle Graham. Grandfather and Uncle Leroy are terrible worriers, it will be worse if I'm with them."

Emma couldn't keep her snort from escaping because Henry definitely had a point. David Nolan was a man of action and hated no longer being on the front lines, whilst Leroy, long retired from being Mary Margaret's caretaker, often paced and grumbled without end. "All right then. Now, go and get packed, for we must leave as soon as possible." She watched as he scrambled off, then turned to face Killian, allowing her ire to show through now that Henry was gone. "He is my _son_."

Killian shrugged, seemingly unrepentant. "And as his mother, would you not feel better if he was with you, rather than riding those infernal inventions called trains across the country to his grandfather? It is not as though the brownie could travel with him."

"That still does not give you the right to presume anything, Captain Jones," she snapped. She couldn't believe she'd begun to like this man. "How do I know your crew is any better than the train conductors? Are they all former pirates like yourself?"

For the first time, his eyes narrowed and Emma felt the thrill spark in her veins. She was spoiling for a fight, really, never mind that she'd fought ship full of pirates not long ago.

Tansy, who had remained silent in the corner, spoke up. "There are more pressing matters at hand, Lady Swan," she said sharply. "You and the Captain have not even asked our guest here about your mother's circumstances."

She felt her cheeks flush with shame, noting that Killian also ducked his head awkwardly in the face of Tansy's disapproval, shuffling his feet just the tiniest bit. Their conversation was finished…for now. "Of course. My apologies, sir. Please, can you tell us what we are dealing with?"

"Rogue Earth Master," the faun rasped and both Emma and Killian paled. Rogue Earth Masters were often the darkest of Masters that had turned to black magic, and the most powerful because of their affinity for blood magic. "Necromancer. He took your mother by surprise and cut her off from her companions. She has battled for two days now and is growing weak. Soon she will be overwhelmed and the rogue will take her power."

"Not while I am still breathing," Emma vowed fiercely, thinking of her mother's gentle hands, her soft smile, and the constitution that was as steady as any mountain. All of these were part and parcel of Mary Margaret Nolan, and she did not intend to lose that. "Where are they?"

"I have passed the location on to one of your sylphs," the faun replied. "She will be able to guide you."

"Good." She glanced at Killian. "How quickly can you get us there?"

He grinned wolfishly. "Very quickly."

Very quickly apparently meant summoning the _kraken_ and convincing it to take the _Jolly Roger_ in hand to transport them clear around the island. "Many people think most Water Masters are placid and easygoing, as malleable as water itself," Killian mused as he, Emma, and Henry watched the journey from within the captain's cabin. The rest of the crew were battened down below deck as well, completely terrified by what was happening. It was one thing to have a captain who was a Water Master, who often spoke to beings they could not see, but it was another thing to summon something like the kraken and have it appear to help the ship along. "They forget about the dark ocean depths that no man can ever visit and the way the sea's moods can change from moment to moment."

"That is why you have an accord with the kraken," Emma murmured. She felt no terror or sickness at the way the _Jolly Roger_ positively flew over the ocean. She had ridden the winds of a hurricane before, this was nothing compared to that. "You know what it is like to be swayed by darkness." Old and powerful Elementals like the kraken were practically gods themselves. A Master had to be exceptional to even attract the attention of an Elemental like that, let alone be able to bargain with it in exchange for power.

"And to choose light," he said in reply. "You are not so different yourself, Swan. A woman who tangles with Storm Elementals surely knows that path."

Killian Jones was far too perceptive for her liking. Her instincts, the ones she had honed in the field and depended upon to save her life, were at odds. Part of her said she could trust him, simply because he hadn't given her any reason not to, and because he seemed to be a man of his word. But she'd only let one man in before, and he had died hundreds of miles away, where she couldn't even tell him goodbye. She hadn't even had the chance to save him. This man…this man had trouble written all over him. She could not wait for this mission to be finished and for his debt to be cleared.

Still…she had to admit that his was a story she wanted to know. How did a pirate become a reformed man? What drove a man to piracy in the first place when he had a brother like Liam Jones? "Perhaps."

He moved away from his window, his gaze flickering briefly over to where Henry continued to stare outside, completely rapt. "Why are you so afraid to talk, Swan?" he asked, his voice dipping down quietly. "Are you afraid to reveal yourself?"

She scoffed. "Reveal what, pray tell?"

He gestured, the silver of his rings catching and reflecting the light. "The hurt you've hidden behind those walls of yours. I'm afraid you're an open book, love."

"What-" Emma lowered her voice, lest Henry overhear. She did not appreciate the way her heart raced at his words, the way those low, dulcet tones curled around the word 'love.' "You are talking nonsense, Captain."

"Am I, Swan?" His tongue darted out to wet his lower lip and her eyes followed the motion. "Try something new, darling, it's called trust."

There was something so very compelling about the timbre of his voice and the sincerity in his eyes. She could detect no lie in them but it was so very hard to separate herself from the path she had set for herself. "I have no choice but to trust you, Captain Jones," she said stiffly, stepping back. She refused to acknowledge the hint of disappointment that crept into his expression. "After all, you are here to help me save my mother, are you not?"

"Aye," he agreed, still watching her closely.

"We're slowing down!" Henry exclaimed, turning and dashing for the door. Killian followed more sedately, but not without one last look in Emma's direction.

Emma turned away and looked for Luna. The sylph had been huddled in a corner of his quarters, completely unnerved by the kraken's presence. "Luna, can you please find Aunt Ruby and Uncle Graham and have them meet us when we stop?" she asked.

"Of course," she replied. "And he was not lying, you know." She disappeared in a cloud of fairy dust before Emma could respond.

Honestly.

The faun's instructions had led them to a small island off the coast of Northumberland. The _Jolly Roger_ dropped anchor just off the far end of the island in order to avoid detection. Thanks to Luna, Ruby and Graham were there, waiting.

"Remember your promise, Henry," Emma said, sweeping Henry into a hug. "Stay here until we've taken care of everything, and mind the captain's crew." She looked at Killian's first mate. "And you must take care of him, or else."

Smee nodded and bowed. "As milady commands."

"Get Grandmother back," Henry mumbled into her hair. He peeled himself away from her and planted himself in front of Killian. "Keep her safe," he said fiercely.

Killian lowered himself to one knee. "Aye, lad. I promise you that." He glanced up at Emma. "Shall we?" he asked, twirling his fingers and summoning a spout of water to take them to shore.

She nodded and took his hand. The moment they alighted on the beach, she threw herself into Ruby and Graham's open arms. "Are you two all right?" She brushed the cut that was bleeding sluggishly high on Graham's cheek. "What are we dealing with?"

"Revenants, golems, Red Caps, nearly every nasty Earth Elemental you can think of," Graham replied. "He has an army of them, fed by the power of his blood magic, taken from mages and regular people alike."

"That's why we've been unable to summon help," Ruby said grimly, a hint of a growl in her voice. "He's taken out a good portion of the minor mages in the area."

"Well, we're here now," Emma replied. It was good to have something to focus on. "This is Captain Jones, he will be helping us."

Both Ruby and Graham looked him over, but Graham was the first to step forward, his hand extended. "Thank you. We are in your debt."

"I am merely discharging one of my own. Swan helped me and it is my turn to help her." He nodded towards the ruined abbey in the distance. "Is that where he is held up with Her Grace?"

Ruby nodded, after throwing Emma a querying look that was quickly rebuffed. "All we need to do is dispatch his army and take down his shields. Then Graham can link with Mary Margaret and bind him."

"Well, what are we waiting for, an invitation?" Emma turned her gaze up to the sky and opened herself up to the strongest of the Air Elementals, the dragons of wind and storm. _Please help me,_ she cried soundlessly, hoping that at least one or two of them would answer her call, as they did out at the castle when storms came.

The wind picked up all around her, fierce and tearing, whilst storm clouds rolled overhead. She watched with wide eyes as the wind and clouds coalesced into pearlescent dragons that regarded her with glowing eyes. _We hear your call and gladly answer, little one_ , the voices thundered in her mind. _Just rid the world of this abomination._

 _Gladly,_ she replied, feeling the power as it poured into her. "Ready?" she asked her companions aloud.

Ruby had already shifted into her wolf form and pawed the ground, whining with excitement. Graham was smiling proudly, surrounded by a small coterie of heavily armed dwarves. Killian had already summoned several waterspouts. "Your eyes are glowing, love," he laughed, completely unperturbed by the lashing wind. "Let's get to it."

The corrupt Earth Master's army wasted no time coming at them, not with that show of power. Emma could only hope his greed would be his undoing. Ruby immediately launched herself into the fray, snarling as she aimed for the revenants, tearing them limb from limb. Graham and his dwarves were not far behind her, fighting hand to hand with revenants and Elementals alike.

Emma was grateful for the power provided by the dragons. Though Earth and Air were opposites, Elementals of the Air were far less effective against their Earthen counterparts in battle. She needed every bit of strength she could possibly muster, using cyclones of wind to spin her opponents away to dash them to the ground. Once she gained a bit of high ground, she built and anchored her shields and began to unbraid her hair. As she did, lightning crackled down her hands, sparking in the air around her. Drawing on the dragons' power, she fed the lighting, using it to incinerate any and all opponents that came towards her.

She was dimly aware of Killian, swinging a sword with lethal precision as he directed his waterspouts at the same time. She could also feel his magic, the dark blue of ocean depths and smelling of salt, battering away at the rogue Master's shields. _Even water can turn mountains into sand,_ she thought, hoping that that would be the advantage her mother needed to turn the tide.

Soon enough, the army of revenants and Elementals was decimated. Emma could finally turn her power on the Earth Master's protections. Her lightning and wind melded seamlessly with Killian's Water magic, beating down the shields until they dissolved completely.

She sensed, rather than saw, the instant her mother reached out for Graham. The healing greens and gold of their magic flashed in the fading light of the setting sun, drowning out the tarnished browns and blood reds of the Earth Master's magic that permeated the surrounding land. Without even thinking, she and Killian spun a shield of Air and Water into being to keep anything from escaping. Their power melded seamlessly, dark and light blue together, bright and purifying on those polluted grounds.

Healing green and gold magic flared, and the dark magic sputtered out. Emma knew enough to guess that her mother and Graham had returned the rogue Master to the earth, letting the Elementals mete out their own form of justice for his crimes. It was more fitting than any punishment human mages could pass.

It was finished. Emma tipped her face towards the sky once more. _Thank you_ , she said to the dragons

 _We will always be there to help our friends, little one._ A cool breeze danced around her, playfully whipping at her cloak and her hair. Emma laughed at their antics and ran down towards the ruins. "Mother!" she called. Inside, Killian and Graham were helping Mary Margaret to her feet while Ruby, still in wolf form, paced behind them.

Mary Margaret was squinting curiously at Killian. "Do I know you?"

He chuckled. "No, Your Grace. Captain Killian Jones, at your service."

"Well, I cannot say I expected to have a Water Master come to my rescue, but I am grateful, Captain Jones." She caught sight of Emma and extended her hands. "Oh my dear, what is that face, I can assure you I am perfectly all right-"

Emma crossed the distance between them in three great strides and threw her arms around her, burying her face in her shoulder. Her mother was petite, with delicate bones. It was easy to forget she was a warrior through and through. "Necromancers, Mother, really?'

"Well, it turned out all right now, did it not?" Her fingers ran through the ends of Emma's hair and her grin was rueful as they parted. "Thank you, my darling."

She smiled back. "That is what we do in this family," she teased. "We save each other." It had happened often enough that it was a running family joke, even if the circumstances of the rescues were often no laughing matter.

"Indeed we do," Mary Margaret laughed. Her humor faded as she looked around the ruined abbey and she sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "Well, there's nothing for it," she huffed. "Graham, you and I must perform a cleansing-"

" _Mother_ ," Emma began, exasperated.

"A _quick_ cleansing, so nothing can take root here, and we will send for someone else from the Lodge to do the full cleansing," Mary Margaret finished pointedly. "Now, go on, back to the ship, because I assume you used one to get here. Captain Jones?"

Killian stood at attention. "Yes, Your Grace?"

Emma couldn't help but think her mother's gaze was slightly appraising as she looked him over, and felt a prickle of foreboding. One of her mother's perceived duties in life was to find her daughter's happy ending, and she had no doubt noticed how well their magic complemented one another. She was annoyingly perceptive that way. "You and your crew will be well compensated for your help in this endeavor, as well as for conveying our party back to London." Her eyebrow arched. "Perhaps some shore leave can be arranged?"

Graham hid a smile and even Ruby's tail wagged more enthusiastically than necessary. Emma bit back a groan. Her family was awful sometimes.

Killian bowed. "We would very much appreciate that, Your Grace."

Mary Margaret just waved away his thanks. "You may not wish to thank me if my husband presses you into his service. Now, go! Leave us to this. We will join you shortly."

"Shore leave in London," Killian mused as they walked back towards the ship. Ruby scampered ahead to wash her fur in the surf. "Now that is something I have not had in quite some time. Will I be seeing you about town, Swan?"

Despite her misgivings, she could not prevent her amusement at his obvious attempt at fishing. "I daresay you will, Captain Jones." Especially if her father did choose to avail himself of their services – and she was sure he would. She was surprised to find that she was not as dismayed as she would have been before this entire situation.

"Excellent," Killian declared, grinning broadly. "I will convince you that we make a good team yet, Swan."

Somehow, she did not think he would have to do that much convincing.

In fact, she looked forward to it.

* * *

 **Please review!**

This is a Captain Swan Secret Santa gift for SirensCalling, who requested a CS historical AU. I couldn't resist adding some elemental magic to it, a la Mercedes Lackey.

Thanks to lawgeeks for being my beta, and to InitialA for helping me smooth out the magical details (and deciding that Emma would braid magic into her hair like Tris Chandler).


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